ADC, January 31st – February 4th, 7.45pm, £6-10
Directed by Nikki Moss
This show was, above all, a waste. A waste of one of the greatest scripts of the 20th century. A waste of some of what I know are Cambridge’s choicest actors. A waste of some talented musicians. And a waste, I assume, of a hefty chunk of ADC resources.
But before I dive into my attack, I will say one thing. And that is the tremendous respect I have for Nikki Moss in mounting this gargantuan production. Putting on a Brecht is one of the biggest challenges a director can set themselves, which is partly why rating this show wasn’t easy. Yes, there was talent onstage both theatrical and musical, and it was plain to see. But when measured up to the standards which this very production had set for itself, it fell depressingly short.
And that brings us to the first problem: it wasn’t Brecht. I couldn’t really work out what Moss wanted with the production. Megan Roberts has proven herself more than just capable in previous performances, but her Mother Courage was disappointingly bland. And I had a suspicion it wasn’t her fault. If Moss was aiming for a naturalistic performance, she failed – I didn’t believe for a second that this was a toughened mother of three children capable of making cut-throat deals in the midst of ravaging war. If she was aiming for good-and-honest Brecht, well, she failed even more. The acting wasn’t naturalistic, wasn’t stylised, wasn’t even in-between. It was just undefined and confused.
The whole production had the nasty flavour of a flashy Broadway musical. Alistair Cannon is an able composer, but his skills were again applied inappropriately. Pink light flooded the stage along with sad soulful violin when Jennie King’s prostitue sang about a lost love. Wrong. As anyone who even paid attention in the first five minutes of their Brecht unit will know. Brechtian songs are not meant to be tuneful interludes; they are bursts of raw, direct poetry.
The sound levels were appalling, meaning what should have been the most important feature of the songs – the lyrics – was simply obliterated. I literally couldn’t hear a word with a nine-piece band blaring. Why was there even a nine-piece band? Yes, there are many able musicians in Cambridge, but that doesn’t mean you can just ram as many as you can onto a stage. Admittedly, this is an issue easily solved and I hope the show will at least gain audibility and slickness as it goes on.
One of the few parts which made me sit up was the “Song of Solomon”, where Max Upton as the Cook came right upstage and just hollered his lyrics into the audience, raw and punchy. This is more like it, I thought. And I can fucking hear the words. Unfortunately I was later informed that it was entirely accidental: the actor’s mic broke and he’d had to improvise on the spot. Oh well. Keep it in, I say.
I also saw tantalising flashes of stylish acting and real pathos in James Bloor and Kat Griffiths as two of the children, Swiss Cheese and Kattrin, but it was sadly unable to develop into something more.
I was promised “a story that is utterly beautiful and utterly devastating.” Well, I guess one of those turned out to be true.
Alistair didn't compose the music. It's the Duke Special score which was written for the National Theatre production with Fiona Shaw.
why is he credited as "Composition" in the programme?
Because they were hoping no one would know?
He wrote the harmonies and adapted parts of the orchestration, so I believe. Perhaps still misleading.
Unfortunately I was not aware that the information being compiled was wrong/misleading, so a production error I'm afraid. For correction, even if parts were adapted by Alastair Cannon, the compositional credit I think actually refers to the composing of Incidental music. Sorry for the confusion/miscommunication – it has since been amended.
"Before I dive into my attack." And there was I thinking this was a review. My bad….
What a petty thing to criticise. It was a bad play, and this is a fair review. I like that your bitter little comment ignores the (overly) generous praise following the line you quote. Bad theatre deserves attacking, that's what reviewers do. Nobody who saw this play last night would call this review unfair. Did you see how many people left at the interval? If anything, Ami Jones has been too kind.
Anyway, you don't have time to be commenting here, you have a play to rehearse.
I saw the show last night, and I think Varsity's review is much more fair and considered. And I've been to quite a few Brecht performances where audience members have left at the interval – he's a writer that requires a commitment and stamina from the audience that many just can't muster. I think it's a huge shame this review might discourage people from seeing what (following a first night that was admittedly more of a dress rehearsal) will over the next few nights be an undoubtedly accomplished show.
I didn't review the play, I explained brecht then reviewed what I thought the play might become. I struggle as a critic, but I have seen lots of theatre, did you know that about me?
So much hatred from that cute little face.
You can hardly call this review an attack when it starts out by stating that the reviewer has a huge amount of respect for the director and the cast.
Some would say that's the most insidious thing about it.
Not a bad review, but I take objection to the fact that you said the style of the songs was "wrong".
Maybe you didn't like the style of the songs, or felt it jarred with the rest of the production, but I do not like the idea that a certain way of doing things is empirically wrong. Criticize the songs for not feeling brechtian if you wish, but maybe the show wasn't going for that sort of feel. Or maybe it was and it failed, I don't know. I just don't like the idea that there is a right way and a wrong way to perform any piece of theatre.
you've kind of summed it up by the fact that you instinctively called it 'a show' – do you really think they were (or frankly should have) gone for a showy, broadway feel with a Brecht tragedy???
Here's a problem: if anyone criticises Moss, some wild-eyed supporter can whinge that the critic just doesn't understand her work, or that they lack the maturity and resources to cope with it.
This is dangerous, because it puts Moss above reproach. Whenever criticism comes, the fault couldn't possibly be with her, but MUST be in the audience, degenerate and incapable of grasping high art. Did members of the audience walk out on dear, sweet Brecht? Clearly they didn't have the stamina, the intellectual fortitude, the BRILLIANCE to comprehend him!
Or, this was a poor production, which failed to communicate anything worth watching. This is the difference between masturbation and sex; I felt, after last night, that Mother Courage was masturbation on stage, and I've no doubt it left Moss feeling good. The audience's needs, however, were neglected.
what a mean comment bloody hell
It's perhaps too critical but better than Fred Maynard trying to make friends by name dropping and wanking all over his varsity review.
"Trying to make friends"? I have over 700 friends on Facebook alone, you idiot. How many do you have?
That's not even counting those on bebo and myspace.
If any of you know those in this production and the reviewer you will notice how disgustingly biased it is (I know, shock horror for the Tab).
And as for… "Putting on a Brecht is one of the biggest challenges a director can set themselves" and "It wasn't Brecht." For gods sake, what is student theatre about then? I suppose Ami Jones would prefer it if people just took these plays and performed them the same way again and again. Theatre (like all the arts) should be about challenging and reinventing, not about repeating. Brecht, for the most part, does not speak to modern audiences in the same way he did so THANK GOD it wasn't Brecht.
In fact, I'm sure if it was "Brecht" you would probably have said it was dated.
I did suspect someone might try and use the "student theatre" get-out-of-jail-free card.
Brechtian writing demands Brechtian performance because his scriptwriting is heavily didactic, and if performed in a naturalistic way the show becomes boring. Having said that, I openly admit that if Moss had made the bold decision to actively counteract traditional Brecht but still create something defined and interesting I would have been extremely impressed. My point is she did neither.
While we're on the topic, I nowhere say I want Brecht's original production regurgitated (if that were even possible). In fact, one of the things that annoyed me most was that this production just ripped off the classic Helene Weigel 'silent scream' (Google it) instead of "challenging and reinventing".
As for "disgusting bias", I suppose you're referring to the fact that I personally know Max Upton. Yes, well done, I really make an effort to try and hide that in my review. And I really shower him with undeserved praise there, don't I? Instead of pointing out that he was involved in a lucky accident out of his control.
I also love how this "disgusting bias" has become a mythologised trademark of The Tab in your head, probably because you got a bad review. I dare you to find a review written while I've been editor which actually displays this.
but there's a hell of a lot of reviews that either miss the point of the shows completely or are horrifically poorly written (Jess O'D-B for example). There probably is some bias in there, but more importantly, while you've been editor, there's been a load of shite.
'Theatre (like all the arts) should be about challenging and reinventing, not about repeating. '
Completely- which is why this production ultimately, even on a good day (not the dress rehearsal I watched on Tuesday night) could only get 4 stars. Nikki Moss, who is a more than competent director, decided to do an epic play and use the same translation and same music as the National's production. But Duke Special's stuff is significant because it's so unusual. Repeating it is cloying.
And as for repitition, well, that too was the problem: too many actors were relying on their standard go-to stage presence.
The show was three stars when I saw it: competent, impressive in some places but, bascially, not impressive enough. I hope for CAST Nikki goes back to working with her own instincts.
I take exception to the use of "fuck" in a review. It shows immaturity. You are writing for the Tab, but show some class. As a consequence, I devalued your view as every other sensible reader should do.
I take exception to the use of "immaturity" in a comment. It shows dull idiocy. You are writing anonymously, but show some valid opinion. As a consequence, I devalued your view as every other thinking human being should do.
'Admittedly, this [sound problems] is an issue easily solved'.
Have you ever been in a sound box? Or had anything to do with wireless microphones for an ADC show?
I was wondering how long it would take Techie to comment on this review…
I saw Mother Courage last night, and it was brilliant. Great drama, humour and music. Definitely worthy of 4 stars. It's a shame that reviews are written on first nights.
…reviews wouldn't be much use for publicity purposes if they were written on later nights given that Cambridge Student shows only have a week run and a lot of people want to know around Wednesday or Thursday whether they're going to see a show Friday or Saturday night.
by this review. I saw Mother Courage last night and it was by far the best adc production I've ever seen. The first one that ever brought me to tears too. Like someone said above, it's a real shame reviews are written on the first night. By last night, it was nothing less than a magnificent production. Megan Roberts was not "bland", she was one of the most energetic, powerful, electric actresses i've see on the adc stage. You don't have to exaggerate in a review just to make it sound more interesting.
Different shows have different effects on different people at different times – there are too many variables to outrightly state that a review is wrong. It seems obvious, but there it is. And if the review wasn't made to sound interesting, people would have a go at the writer about that, whereas here she has had a little "reviewer's license" to twist things slightly, but not so as to make them untrue, just to express an opinion in an entertaining manner (which does not mean laugh a minute, just not dull). I anticipate this getting thumbed down, but oh well.
saw this last night and i absolutely loved it. sure that this review is correct for the opening night but definitely by yesterday it was really amazing, and i'm so glad i went. Well Good.
Brecht songs?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur1FUA26ooQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvV89e09wJc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb2Ux3MCH14
Seriously mate, this is getting out of hand.
4/10 banter